


Korrasami 02 Xiaoyan

by Metal_Ox137



Series: Korrasami [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2015-06-27
Packaged: 2018-04-06 10:12:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4217685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Metal_Ox137/pseuds/Metal_Ox137
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korra meets a young girl who can bend all four elements, but is she really the new Avatar?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Korrasami 02 Xiaoyan

Asami's airship has docked in Republic City. It is a beautiful day in late spring, and the early morning sunshine beckons any citizen not compelled to work to step outside and enjoy the almost perfect weather. Asami is pushing Korra's wheelchair as they approach the city gardens.

Asami: Are you sure you don't want me to call Mako and Bolin?

Korra: Asami, please. I just want to get this over with. 

Asami: They're your friends too, Korra. They worry about you, and they just want to know if you're okay.

Korra almost barks her refusal.

Korra: Asami, NO!

Then, immediately, Korra is all contrition.

Korra: I'm sorry. I don't mean to yell. I just - I can't see them. Not yet. 

She reaches her hand up, pleading for forgiveness, and Asami takes Korra's hand and gives it a squeeze before releasing it. 

Asami: If that's what you want. But I think you're making a mistake. 

Korra: Yeah. I do that a lot. 

She smiles as she catches sight of a familiar face.

Korra: There's Tenzin. 

The older man is standing in the gardens with his back to them. He is talking to someone, but from Korra's point of view, the other person is hidden behind a large shrub. As Korra and Asami cross over the small footbridge, he looks up and sees them approaching. His wide smile is tempered by a dismay he can't quite hide. He rushes over to meet them.

Tenzin: Korra. 

He leans over and hugs the girl tightly. Korra returns the embrace willingly. 

Tenzin: It is so good to see you. Asami.

He greets Asami with an embrace that is more formal but no less warm. He looks to Korra, and the worry is evident on his face.

Tenzin: You're still in the wheelchair.

Korra: Yeah. 

Tenzin: You should have been strong enough to stop using that weeks ago. 

Korra: I thought so too. I guess not. 

Asami: So, Tenzin. We hear you have a new star pupil. 

Tenzin: Yes. I do. Xiaoyan, can you come here, please?

A young girl's voice floats up from somewhere behind the knot of bushes and shrubs just to one side of the paved pathway.

Xiaoyan: Yes, Master Tenzin!

A beautiful young girl emerges from the foliage. She is tiny, just barely five feet tall, approximately fourteen years of age, with long, dark hair tied in a traditional braid. She sees Korra and gasps in astonishment. 

Xiaoyan: Avatar Korra!

The girl scurries to Tenzin's side and prostrates herself reverently before Korra.

Xiaoyan: Avatar Korra, it's such an honor to finally meet you!

Korra (acutely embarrassed): Oh, please don't do that - ahh - ?

She looks pleadingly to Tenzin for an identification. Tenzin repeats the girl's name. 

Tenzin: Xiaoyan.

Korra: Xiaoyan. Please get up. You don't ever have to bow to me. 

The girl gets to her feet and discreetly dusts herself off.

Xiaoyan: As you wish, Avatar Korra.

Korra: And please, don't call me Avatar. I'm not the Avatar any more.

Xiaoyan: But - you are, Avatar - I mean, Korra.

The girl is so openly dismayed by Korra's curt refusal to recognize her title that Asami steps in.

Asami: Xiaoyan, why don't you show the Avatar what you can do? She and I would love to see. 

The girl looks up at Master Tenzin. He smiles.

Tenzin: Xiaoyan's control is less than ideal at this time. Perhaps a demonstration should wait. But I have personally confirmed, she is able to bend all four elements.

Asami: Does that make her an Avatar, like Korra?

Tenzin: That's always been the definition. I must confess, I'm at a loss to explain it. Never before have there been two Avatars at the same time.

Korra: There's nothing to explain. She's the Avatar now, and I'm not. 

Angrily, Korra turns the wheels of her chair, and begins to push herself away. Asami looks after her, shocked.

Asami: I'm so sorry about that. I don't know what's gotten into her. 

Tenzin: She's shown no healing at all?

Asami: I've taken her to the finest physicians I can find. They all say the same thing. There's nothing wrong with her physically. Look - I'd better get after her. It's really not a good idea to leave her wandering the streets by herself. It was nice to meet you, Xiaoyan. I hope we'll meet again soon, when Korra is feeling better.

Xiaoyan: Thank you, Miss - ?

Asami smiles.

Asami: Asami. My name is Asami.

Xiaoyan: Thank you, Asami. 

Asami pelts after Korra, and catches up with her at the gate leading into the gardens. Angrily, Asami grabs the chair and halts it, then steps in front of Korra.

Asami: Korra, what is wrong with you? That poor child obviously worships you, and you were just as rude to her and Tenzin as you could possibly be.

Korra's eyes are downcast, the rebuke stinging.

Korra: I know. You're right. 

Korra's seems crumpled in her chair, and her voice is hollow and almost lifeless, save for the distinctly melancholy note at the end. Asami regards Korra critically for a moment. She answers in a quieter tone. 

Asami: Let's go back to the hotel. 

No words are spoken as Asami pushes Korra in her wheelchair the two blocks it takes to reach the hotel from the garden entrance. They take the elevator to Asami's suite and the bellhop offers to take Korra to her room. Asami demurs. 

Asami: The Avatar will be staying in my suite, with me. Please have her things brought to my room.

Bellhop: Very good, Miss Sato. 

He hurries away. 

Asami opens the doors and pushes Korra's wheelchair through. The anteroom is wide and expansive, with one windowed wall looking out over the city. A small baby grand pianoforte sits in one corner, and Asami leaves Korra where she is, walks over the instrument, seats herself and starts to play. 

Korra watches her lover intently. Although Asami's outward demeanor is calm, Korra knows well enough that she is seething with anger and annoyance inside. Penitently, Korra folds her arms in her lap, and listens to the melody. Asami reaches the end of the short piece, then stares out the window, looking at nothing at all.

Korra: What was that?

Asami (not turning around): It's the Aria from the Goldberg Variations, by Bach.

Korra: It's beautiful. 

Asami lets her eyes fall downcast for a minute. Then she sighs and stands up. The bellhop comes in, bringing trunks into the room. Asami walks over to him and pays him.

Asami: Just leave the luggage by the door, please. That will be all. 

The bellhop withdraws and Asami faces the window again. 

Korra: I've made you angry. I'm sorry.

Asami: I know you're hurting, Korra, but honestly, the behavior you displayed to Tenzin and that little girl was just inexcusable. In all the time I've known you, I've never had reason to be disappointed in you. Until today.

She lets herself out of the suite, leaving Korra alone. Korra sits for a minute, absorbing the rebuke like a physical blow. Then she slowly wheels herself into the bedroom. She flings herself onto the bed, buries her face in one of the pillows and begins to cry bitterly. In a matter of moments, she has cried herself to sleep. 

It is late in the afternoon before Asami returns to her suite. After leaving Korra, Asami had withdrawn to a separate suite she has reserved for conducting business, and spent a great of time catching up with the supervisors and managers running the various departments of Future Industries. She finds herself grateful for the distraction, and wishing she could return to running the company full time. Several of her staff ask her if she'll be returning soon. She replies that her sabbatical is nearly over. 

Returning to the suite, Asami finds Korra gone, along with her wheelchair. Somewhat concerned, she calls down to the front desk.

Desk Clerk: Yes, Miss Sato, how can I help you?

Asami: Excuse me, I was just wondering, has Avatar Korra gone out this afternoon?

Desk Clerk: Avatar Korra is down here in the lobby, Miss Sato. Near the fountain. Shall I call her to the phone?

Asami: No, thank you. That won't be necessary. I'll come down.

Bemused, Asami leaves the suite and takes the hotel elevator to the ground floor. 

As the desk clerk had indicated, Korra is indeed by the fountain, sitting on the wide rim of the pool, with her wheelchair sitting to one side. The child Xiaoyan is sitting next to her. Tenzin is in the lobby as well, but standing well out of Korra's line of sight. He motions to Asami to join him. 

Asami: What's going on?

Tenzin smiles.

Tenzin: Ssh. Just listen to them. 

Korra is giving Xiaoyan some instruction in controlling the elements. They take turns placing their hands under the water that falls from the fountainhead. 

Korra: Okay, now, gently. Just try to pull the water to you and make a ball. That's it. You're doing great. 

Xiaoyan's eyes light up with delight as the water bends to her will, and a small water globe rests comfortably in her palm. 

Xiaoyan: My mom and dad are water benders.

Korra: Really? So are mine. I come from a whole family of water benders.

Xiaoyan: I could never figure out how to do this properly before. The shape was all wrong.

Korra: Well, now you know how easy it is. Would you like to try fire bending next?

Xiaoyan: Sure!

Korra: Put your hand back into the water, and summon the flame.

Xiaoyan: But - the water will put the fire out, won't it?

Korra: Yes, but try it. Keep summoning the flame until the water steams.

The child concentrates, and after a moment, the water that splashes against her palm begins to sizzle, then to send up curlicues of steam.

Korra: Now. Push your hand through the water, until your fingertips come out the other side. Watch what happens.

Xiaoyan does as Korra asks, and as the child's fingertips push through the curtain of water, tiny flames light up each fingertip, backlighting the water and spilling brightly colored refractions of light all over the fountain. Xioayan laughs delightedly. 

Korra: Neat, huh?

Xiaoyan: That's so cool!

Korra: Now, do you want to try using two elements at once?

Xiaoyan's eyes grow wide.

Xiaoyan: I can really do that?

Korra: Sure you can. It takes a little more concentration, but you can actually use all the elements at the same time. Let's try including some earth bending.

Xiaoyan frowns. 

Xiaoyan: But . . . there's no earth here.

Korra: Sure there is. Look at this fountain. This whole rim is made out of paving stones and mortar. Everything here is of the earth. It will bend to you.

Xiaoyan: It will?

Korra: But we need to be careful, or we'll damage the fountain, and we don't want the staff of the hotel to get mad at us, right?

Xiaoyan nods emphatically.

Korra: Okay. So, first, we need to hold back the water, so it won't spill all over the floor. So you just need to bend the water so it always follows the outline of the rim, even if we remove one of these stones. 

Xiaoyan concentrates.

Korra: Have you got it?

Xiaoyan: I think so. Yeah.

Korra: Okay. Now, keep the water where it is. Now we're going to lift one of these stones out. 

Xiaoyan: But - how do I do that, without spilling the water?

Korra: Think of it this way. You've carried two different things, one in each hand, right? 

Xiaoyan: Yeah, sure.

Korra: Okay, so use your left hand to curve the water - 

Korra gestures to show the technique, and Xiaoyan follows her example. 

Korra: Keep bending the water. Now. Very gently, with your other hand, raise the stone up. The stone will be really heavy, but don't push too hard, otherwise we'll break the fountain. 

Xiaoyan frowns, and her face shrivels in concentration.

Korra: Remember, do it gently. The stone is morticed, so we need to loosen it before it will come free. And don't forget to keep bending the water.

Xiaoyan frowns and then sighs.

Xiaoyan: I guess I'm not strong enough yet. 

Korra: Don't worry. Now that you know what the trick is, you can practice and show me later, right?

Xiaoyan: Or, maybe we could go to the park tomorrow, and try with a mud moat?

Korra: Sure, that sounds like a great idea. Besides, shifting big rocks isn't much fun. Although it can be very useful in a fight. 

Xiaoyan: Do you get into fights a lot?

Korra: Sometimes. 

She turns her inner arm outward. An ugly, pale line of scar tissue runs almost the entire length of her arm. 

Korra: See that scar? I got that in a fight with an Airbender named Zaheer. He pushed me down a mountainside, and I cut my arm when I fell. 

Xiaoyan is as awed by this as anything she's seen.

Xiaoyan: Can I - can I touch it?

Korra: Sure.

The child runs her fingertips over the bright new scar tissue.

Xiaoyan: Does that hurt?

Korra: Just the memories.

Korra's expression is so sad that Xiaoyan throws her tiny arms around Korra and hugs her tightly.

Xiaoyan: Please don't be sad, Avatar Korra. I don't want you to be sad. 

Korra blinks her tears away. 

Korra: Oh, sweetie. I promise I won't.

Xiaoyan releases Korra and looks into her eyes with childlike concern. Korra manages a smile.

Korra: Thank you for the hug. That made me feel much better.

Xiaoyan: Are you going to stay here in Republic City, Avatar Korra? You don't have to go home, do you?

Korra: My home is with Asami. Where she goes, I follow.

Xiaoyan: Then can she stay in Republic City, too?

Korra smiles. 

Korra: We can ask her. 

Xiaoyan: I just don't want you to leave. I want to learn from you. 

Korra: I'll be happy to teach you anything you want to know, as long as Master Tenzin approves. He's your teacher, so we need to ask him if it's okay.

Xiaoyan: Master Tenzin, is it okay if Avatar Korra stays to train me?

Korra looks around to see Tenzin and Asami smiling at her. 

Korra: How long have you two been standing there?

Asami grins.

Asami: Long enough. 

Korra smiles contritely at Asami, then Tenzin.

Korra: I'm sorry I was so rude earlier. I really didn't mean to lash out like that.

Tenzin: It's forgotten, Korra. Think no more of it. 

Xiaoyan: Master Tenzin, can we visit Avatar Korra tomorrow?

Tenzin looks to Korra.

Korra: It really would be no trouble. I kind of promised her I'd take her to the park to practice some earth bending. 

Tenzin's smile shows his relief.

Tenzin: Then why don't we plan to meet you in the park tomorrow afternoon?

Korra looks to Asami. 

Korra: That's okay, isn't it?

Asami smiles warmly.

Asami: I think that's a wonderful idea. 

Xiaoyan: Yay!

Several hours later, Korra and Asami are cuddling together on a deep couch, digesting the last of their very late supper. Korra nuzzles Asami, then rests her head on her breast contentedly.

Korra: Thank you.

Asami: For what?

Korra: For being friend enough to yell at me, when I messed up. 

Asami gives her a gentle squeeze.

Asami: You'd do the same for me. 

Korra: Yeah, but you never mess up. 

Asami chuckles. 

Asami: So not true.

Korra: Seriously, Asami, is there anything you can't do?

Asami: I can't bend elements. I can't sing. I can't make shark fin soup.

Korra giggles, then turns serious.

Korra: I never want you to feel disappointed in me again. 

Asami: I'm sorry I said that. It was unkind.

Korra: But it was true. You were right. Even if I never get my powers back, I can do better. And I will.

Asami: It was so nice seeing you with Xiaoyan this afternoon. It's like I finally saw the real you starting to come back. It's really great to see that.

Korra: I'm sorry I need you so much. But I do need you.

Asami: All you have to do is ask. I will do anything for you. 

Korra: Thanks.

Asami: So, what can I do for you today?

Korra (hopefully): Can we share a bath? Wash my hair?

Asami: If you'll wash mine. 

Korra: Deal. 

Asami: Of course, we have to actually get up off the couch to do that.

Korra: Is it okay if we just cuddle for a while longer?

Asami: As I said. All you have to do is ask. 

Somewhere well to the south of Republic City, an old fortress has been built into the side of a mountain wall. Inside this fortress, a prison cell has been erected for a very special prisoner. A guard approaches the cell door, and looks inside. The prisoner is restrained in metal bonds up to his neck. 

Zaheer: Well?

Guard: Our agents in the city have reported back. The new Avatar is only a child. She has no strength or control over her powers as yet. Without her guardians, she is defenseless.

Zaheer: And what of the Avatar Korra?

Guard: She's only been seen in public the last day and a half, but she's confined to a wheelchair. She cannot walk unaided. If she still possesses the ability to bend, she's not displayed it. 

Zaheer: Before our plan can be carried out, we must make absolutely certain that Avatar Korra is powerless. 

Guard: Your agents have already planned a small operation tomorrow, to test the Avatar's abilities. 

Zaheer: This is well.

Guard: And if she really has lost the ability to bend?

Zaheer: Then we proceed as planned. If the reign of the Red Lotus is to begin, then the new Avatar must die.

Guard: And if Avatar Korra tries to intervene?

Zaheer: Then she must die too.

The guard nods tersely and hurries away. Zaheer turns his neck slightly, the only part of his body he can move.

Zaheer: And then the rest of us shall all know what it is like to taste . . . freedom.


End file.
